Bogoslovska smotra, Vol. 96 No. 1, 2026.
Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.53745/bs.96.1.3
A Theological and Philosophical Reflection on Neuroscientific Research into Prayer
Saša Horvat
orcid.org/0000-0003-1968-8688
; Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia
Abstract
In recent decades, neuroscience has joined the efforts to study human religiosity and prayer, aiming to uncover the biological mechanisms underlying these profound experiences. While such research provides valuable insights, it also raises important questions for theology and philosophy. This paper examines the challenges and limitations of neuroscientific studies on prayer. The first part outlines the theological-philosophical perspectives on prayer, emphasizing its complexity and embeddedness in the believer’s life. The second part analyses selected neuroscientific studies into prayer, focusing on how it is defined, how subjects are chosen, and how laboratory settings shape the phenomenon under investigation. A comparison between daily prayer and prayer in laboratory conditions reveals significant differences in terms of time, space, motivation, and experiential depth. The conclusion offers recommendations for future research and underscores the essential role of theology and philosophy in interpreting and guiding the dialogue between neuroscience and religious studies.
Keywords
prayer; neuroscience of religion; theology; philosophy; fMRI; religiosity
Hrčak ID:
349160
URI
Publication date:
11.7.2026.
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